Umbrella.



M. R. SCHAFFER.

UMBRELLA. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, I9I3.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

VENTOR WITNESSES till til

MARTIN R. SCI'IAFFER, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 WILLIAM. S. YOCOIVI AND ONE-FOURTH TOFERDINANDO COLLE'ITI, BOTH 0F BEAD- INGr, PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed March 29, 1913.

To all whom ttmay concern:

Be it known that l, MARTIN R. SonArrnR, citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to umbrellas and more particularly to improvements in that class of umbrellas wherein the stretchers or braces and the ribs are secured in place by means of ball and socket joints.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel construction of umbrella frame wherein the ribs, braces or stretchers and stafi of the same are connected in such a manner as to greatly increase the longevity of the umbrella as well as to decrease the friction between thevarious parts generated when opening and closing the umbrella thereby increasing the ease with which the same operations may be performed.

Another object of this invention is to connect the ribs and the stretchers or braces to the stafi of the umbrella so that it will be practically impossible for adverse gusts of wind to turn it inside out.

A still further object of this invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the balls and sockets in which the same are mounted, increasing the efficiency of the same and greatly decreasing the cost of manufacture thereof as well as adding to the strength and durability of the same.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will .be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

in describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which,

Figure 1 is an elevational View of an umbrella frame showing the handle broken away and the sockets in which the ends of the braces or ribs are mounted, in section; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View through the socket in which the ends of the ribs are seated; Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the socket which is shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the lower section of the socket; Fig. 5 is'a detail sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

UMBRELLA.

Patented Apr. 1%, i915.

Serial no. 757,645.

tional View of the socket in which the inner ends of the stretchers are mounted; Fig. 5

upon-its upper end. The ordinary spring catches 3 employed in umbrellas for holding the top or covering of the umbrella either opened or closed are also mounted in the staff 1.

A collar 5 is rigidly mounted upon the staff 1 of the umbrella near the upper end or ferrul and. has its upper portion curved downwat to form a semi-circular cup 6 and its out extreme edge bent downwardly and slightly outwardly as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and t of the drawings to form a depending flange i". This collar 5 is pressed from single piece of material preferably such as sheet brass or the like and the specific bending of the outer edge 7 will impart a-sniall amount of spring action thereto. The semicircular cup 6 and the flange 7 are provided with a plurality of cut-out portions 8. The semicircular cup 6 and flange 7 extend. amnilarly about the staff 1 of the umbrella. 1%. sheet metal cap 9 is shaped to conform to the shape of the semicircular cup 6 of the collar 5 and is also substantially semicircular having its outer edge portion 10 bent outwardly, downwardly and inwardly as is shown at 11 and 12 to form a collar. The extreme lower end 13 is bent substair tially at right angles to the portion between the corners 11 and 12 to form an inwardly extending securingflange. Cutout portions 14: are formed in the cap *9 and coincide withthe cut-out portions 8. The ordinary type of guard 15 is mounted upon the stafl' 1 adjacent the upper surface of the cap 9 and forms a protection for the same and prevents Water or the like from entering the space 16 which is left between the curved sides of the cap 9 and the staff 1. f

The ribs 17 are constructed preferably of steel as is ordinarily the case and have balls 18 and 19 formed upon their inner and outer ends. The balls 1.8 are seated within the cirlLWt tin

cular opening 20 which is left between the cup 6 and cap 9 whenthey are connected as is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and the ribs 17 extend outwardly through the openings 8 and 14. v

The openings 14 terminate ina square shoulder as is illustrated at 21 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The shoulder 21 will prevent the wind, when the same enters the umbrella, from below, from causing the umbrella covering to turn inside out.

A collar 25, which has annular shoulders 26 and 27 formed upon its upper and lower ends and a slot 28 extending longitudinally therein, is slidably mounted upon the stafl 1. When the umbrella is in an open position the catch 3 shown in Fig. 1 engages the shoulder 26 and when the umbrella is in a closed position a similar catch which does not need to be shown since it is of the ordinary construction passes through the slot 28 thus releasably holding the umbrella in the closed position. I

Secured in any suitable manner to the upper end of the collar 25 is a cup 29 which is substantially semicircular in shape, hav-.

ing its edge portion bent downwardly as at 31 to form a depending flange 30. The cup 29 extends annularly about the collar 25 and is similar in construction to the semicircular cup 6 of the'collar 5. The cup 29 is provided with a series of cut-out portions 32 in the outer upper edge thereof.

Thecap 33 which is practically the same shape as the cap 9 having its outer and lower portion bent outwardly at 34, downwardly at 35 to form a collar, and inwardly at 36 to form a securing flange, is connected to the cup 29 having its lower'inner edge 37 coinciding with the upper edge of the annular shoulder 27 of the collar 25. Its securing collar formed by the bendings as at 34, 35, and 36, engages the flange 30 of the cup 29, thus leaving a circular opening 38 between the cup 29 and cap 33. The cap 33 is provided with a series of cut-out portions 39, which coincide with the cut-out portions 32 of the member 29.

A pin 40 is inserted through the staff 1 as at 41 and limits the upward sliding movement of the collar 25 and the members 29 and 33 which are attached thereto, thereby further aiding the shoulders 21 in preventing the umbrella from being turned inside out.

The braces or stretchers 42 are constructed of material similar to that used in the construction of the ribs 17 and have balls 43 and 44 mounted upon their inner and outer ends respectively. The balls 43 are mounted within the opening 38, and the braces 42 extend outwardly through the cut-out portions 32 and 39. The upper end or shoulder45 of the cut-out portions 39 limit the upward movementof the braces 42 while the lower shoulder 46 of the out-out portions 32 limits the downward movement of the same. The balls 44 upon the outer end of the braces 01' stretchers 42 are swiyelly mounted in the hollow portions 47 in the members 48 which have cut-out portions 49 therein to allow the necessary movement to the braces 42 and which are securely connected to the ribs 17 as at 50.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings a modified form of end for the ribs 17 or the braces 42 is shown, the same consisting of a cylindrical piece of metal secured to the ends of the same.

The spring action generated by the bending downwardly of the flanges 7 and 30 of the cups 6 and 29 will, when the caps 9 or 33 respectively are mounted upon the cups 6 or 29, frictionally engage the outer and lower ends of the caps 9 and 33 owing to the peculiar bending of the lower end, forming a secure and convenient connection between the two parts, and eliminating the use loii any fastening means such as rivets or the In practical fields, certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may necessitate alterations to which the patentee is entitled provided such alterations are comprehended Within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is 1. An umbrella frame comprising a stalf, ribs, stretchers connected with said ribs, and means for connecting said ribs and stretchers with said stafi each of said connecting means being formed of resilient material and comprising a sleeve, a cup extending from said sleeve, a depending outwardly flared flange extending from the outer edge portion of said cup, and a cap formed of resilient material fitting upon said on and provided with a depending collar inclb said flange and terminating in an inwardly extendin flange extending beneath the flange 0 said cup, said cup and cap being provided with alined openings for permitting the inner ends of said ribs and stretchers to pass into their respective cups.

2. An umbrella comprising a staff, ribs, stretchers connected with said ribs, and means for connecting said ribs and stretchers with said staff, one of said means comprising a sleeve having its upper end portion provided with an annular external shoulder, a cup formed of resilient material placed upon said sleeve and fitting above said shoulder, the outer edge portion of said cup being provided with a depending flange, and a cap fitting upon said cup and shoulder and having the outer edge portion provided with a depending collar inclosing said flange and terminating in a flange extending beneath the same.

sing

3. An attachment for an umbrella formed flange extending beneath the same, the collar. 10 of said cap compressing the flange of said cl 1p to hold said cup and cap in tight engagement, said cap and cup being provided with alined openings.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARTIN R. SCHAFFER.

Witnesses:

GEO. M. MILLER, W. S. YOGOM. 

